1 Corinthians 14:7-19
~10 min read
Ps Paul Cheng
“…put a premium in tongue-speaking…”
Dear Bethelites,
Spiritual gifts were given for the purpose of edification; for the building up of the believers. Therefore, the Apostle Paul had dealt with why prophecy or preaching was better than speaking in tongues. It was in the context of edification.
So, we need to ask ourselves, “Whatever spiritual gifts God has given to us, how best can I edify the church?”
Paul had spent so many chapters dealing with the topic of tongue-speaking. Well, it was a pertinent problem in those days because the Corinthians considered tongue-speaking as an amazing and spectacular gift, and they desired to have it. In fact, some even pretended to have it even though they were not gifted with it.
Today, is tongue-speaking a problem? Most certainly! Just take a look at the charismatic churches, how people would put a premium in tongue-speaking, and some even claimed to be able to interpret what was spoken. Again, it is worthy to note that the charismatic tongues are ecstatic utterances unlike the tongues of the Bible which were known languages.
In the preceding verse 6, Paul said that even if one was able to speak in a foreign language, but if nobody understood him, it was of no use. Here in this section, he went on to further reiterate his point.
I. Tongues have no meaning
Paul gave two illustrations on how one could not be edified or blessed by something he did not understand.
The illustration of music — 1 Corinthians 14:7, And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
The pipe refers to a wind instrument, the harp (kithara where the Engish word for guitar was derived) refers to a string instrument, and these are things without life mean lifeless things.
If one plays on those instruments, and there is no rhythm, structure, tones, keys, chords and harmony, how can it mean anything? For music to be music, it must make musical sense!
1 Corinthians 14:8, For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? In those days, the soldier would play a certain tune on the trumpet in order to prepare the people for the battle. The moment the people hear that particular tune, they would be all geared up to charge and fight. But if the soldier were to play a tune unfamiliar or unclear to the people, who would understand that it was a preparation to fight in the battle?
The Corinthians would really appreciate this musical illustration because the city of Corinth had one of the greatest musical buildings, with a seating capacity of about 20,000 people. Using this illustration familiar to them, Paul stressed, So likewise ye (you Corinthians), except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air (1 Corinthians 14:9, emphasis mine). In other words, Paul was saying, “If you are speaking in a language that nobody understands, how can anyone know what you are trying to say? You are like speaking into the air. It is of no value at all.”
The illustration of language — Paul moved on to the second illustration of language, 1 Corinthians 14:10, There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
It has been estimated that there are about 6500 different languages in this modern world, not including the different dialects (which would be enormously more). Perhaps during Paul’s time, there were fewer languages, but still the numbers would be significant. Each language is made up of a particular voice (phone where we get the Engish word phonic). One may hear different voices or phonics, but there is no such thing as a language that is without meaning.
1 Corinthians 14:11, Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
In the ancient world, the Greeks were proud of their nationality, culture and language, and when they saw someone from the non-Greek countries like Persia and Egypt who could not speak Greek, they would make fun of those people saying, “Your words don’t make sense. You sound like, bar, bar, bar,” (and that is where we get the word barbarian). You cannot speak our language, so you are a barbarian!”1 The word barbarian was a very insulting term!
In other words, if someone speaks in a language and I do not understand it, I will be regarded by him as a barbarian. He will say, “You cannot understand what I say, can you? So, you are a barbarian!” Vice versa, the one who speaks in that language unknown to me will be regarded by me as a barbarian. I will say, “You are speaking in a language that makes no sense to me. So, you are a barbarian!” That is what it means!
1 Corinthians 14:12, Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Yet again, Paul applied these two illustrations to the Corinthians, even so ye. They were zealous of spiritual gifts which was a good thing, but they must desire those gifts for the purpose of edifying or building up the church.
Dear friend, when you see someone playing the piano, teaching the children or singing in the choir, you may wish to have those same spiritual gifts. But why do you want to have those gifts? Why do you want to exercise those gifts in the church? Because you want to serve the Lord by ministering to the people. Remember the word edification? It is for the purpose of edification; for the strengthening and building up of God’s people. Spiritual gifts are given for us to exercise only in the context of the church.
Praise God for those brethren who recently came forward to serve in the PA ministry. Maybe the recording equipment system needs to be revamped, or the formatting and uploading of sermon audio needs to be changed. If you have been gifted in those areas of ministry, then serve and excel in it, and do your best. Your service will impact and affect the believers because some people may not be able to come to church physically but they can still attend the online worship service and listen to the sermon audio. Without your ministry, how can they be edified? It is all about edification!
II. Tongues are emotional
1 Corinthians 14:13, Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
In Acts 2, during the Pentecost, the people were speaking in tongues. But those people who understood those languages were there too. If those people were not even there, why do you think God would enable the disciples to speak in foreign languages? So, if you are speaking in a foreign language (unknown tongue), then you need to interpret, either yourself or someone else.
Some people may say, “Well, it is my spiritual prayer language. It is my special heavenly language (which the charismatic use to say).” Consider what Paul said next, For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful (1 Corinthians 14:14). The word spirit is a reference to one’s spirit, not the Holy Spirit. What he meant was, “If I pray in an unknown tongue (foreign language, e.g. Spaniah, French, etc). It is unfruitful or meaningless because I myself do not even understand what I pray!” Now the question may arise, “If people do not understand the meaning, why do they still want to do it?” Well, there is something emotional about it.
In many modern-day charismatic churches, when people see the believers speaking in tongues (ecstatic utterances), they are impressed, “Look, these people must be very close to God. I wish I could do that!” People think of Christianity as having a spiritual experience. They want something more than the Word of God. The Bible says, “If thou shalt call upon the name of the Lord, thou shalt be saved.” However, they would say, “But God, how do I really know? Is there an emotional feeling or dramatic experience? I want to have that kind of feeling or experience, and can you give it to me?” Like when it comes to the worship of God, people want the kind of songs that would stir up their emotions and passions. Worship is all about how they feel, and it is no longer about God accepting our contrite and broken spirit. Thus, oftentimes people would ask, “How was the worship?” By that, they mean, “How was your feeling or experience?” And the common answers are, “I feel good. My heart is at peace. It is a wonderful experience.” Or alternatively, “I don’t enjoy it at all. It is boring. It is a bad experience.” Somehow, Christianity has become subjected to our emotions!
Having said that, it does not mean that being emotional is always wrong. God gives us emotions. But one’s emotion cannot stand by itself, and it must come with understanding! That was why Paul continued to say in 1 Corinthians 14:15, What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
The word understanding is a reference to the mind which comprises the faulties of perceiving and understanding.
Let’s say, someone hears a song, and then all of a sudden, she starts crying. And you ask her, “Why are you crying?” She replied, “I don’t know why I am crying?” You asked, “Do you understand the lyrics?” She replied, “No, I don’t. I just feel like crying!” Does it make sense to you? No! But if she hears a song, understands the lyrics, those words touch her heart, and she cries, “I am especially touched by those words that said, “That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul….it is well with soul!” Does it make sense to you? Yes! Because the emotion comes with understanding!
1 Corinthians 14:16, Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest.
The unlearned person who occupieth the room, is a reference to the one who is sharing the same space and does not understand what you are saying. In other words, when you stand up to bless, give thanks or pray, how would the person who does not know what you are praying, say, Amen? Amen means “let it be so, or truly.” No one would or should say amen to something he or she does not understand!
Once, a young man in our church asked me, “If I am in a restaurant, and someone is praying for the food. But the restaurant is crowded and noisy, and I cannot hear what he is praying, should I say, amen?” Why do you think that person would ask such a question? He knew that when you say “amen,” he is agreeing to what the person is praying, and he does not want to agree to something he does not know, right?” My answer to the question was that in such a situation, you should always pray in your heart and give thanks for the food, and then say “amen to your own prayer!”
1 Corinthians 14:17, For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. Paul was saying, “You may feel that you have given thanks well enough, but if the other person does not understand you, he is not edified.” Yet again, the point is repeatedly emphasised, what one does not know or understand, cannot edify him or her!
So, does it mean that tongue-speaking is bad? Most certainly not! Tongue-speaking was a sign gift. It was the ability to speak in a language which one had never studied before. It was a good gift which God had given for a purpose; to authenticate the authority of the Apostles and the writing of the Holy Scripture. But it had since ceased after the apostolic era and the Bible was completed.
1 Corinthians 14:18, I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
God had given to the Apostle Paul the gift of speaking in different languages even though it was not recorded in the Scriptures, But nevertheless he said, Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue (1 Corinthians 14:19).
It was better to speak in a short sentence made up of five words, giving a message that would edify and encourage the hearts of the believers, than to speak in a multitude of words, ten thousand words in a foreign language that no one understood. Take note of the phrase yet in the church because spiritual gifts were given for the purpose of edification, and the place for it to be exercised was in the church, and not for private or personal use.
Dear friend, perhaps we understand the cessation of tongues, but how can we apply this passage into our lives?
- Emotion — God has given to us emotions, but our emotions cannot stand on its own, it must come with understanding. Therefore, whenever we make decisions (whether it be whom we marry, which job we choose to do, where to live or study, which church to attend, etc), they must not stand on our emotions alone, but rather based on the truth of God’s Word which giveth us understanding.
- Spiritual gift — God has given to us spiritual gifts, but what have we done with our spiritual gifts? Spiritual gifts are not given for self-gratification, self-satisfaction or self-glorification. They are not given to do the pastor and minister a favour, or to please men, or receive their applause. They are given for the edification of the church. We need to pray for and attend a Bible-believing church where we can exercise our spiritual gifts!
- Edification — There are things we do that people may not know, especially those things we do behind the scenes. But it does not matter, because if God has given to us those spiritual gifts which may not outwardly appear to be “obvious,” “glamorous,” or “big” in the eyes of the people. But as long as it edifies the believers, that is what we are going to do. For the glory of God!
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
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